Datin Rozita Mohamed Ali pleaded guilty to severely abusing her teenage maid but did not appear in the Malaysian High Court on Wednesday for the hearing of an appeal to review her good behaviour bond sentence.
Malay Mail Online reported that neither Datin Rozita nor her bailor was located by the prosecution on Wednesday for the hearing. Muhamad Iskandar Ahmad, the prosecuter said that he and his team visited two homes owned by the 44-year-old accused but found them vacant.
Iskandar told the judge, Datuk Seri Tun Abd Majid Tun Hamzah, that they went to the bailor's house address, where they faced problems initially but when they finally entered, it was empty.
He said, "We went to (Rozita's) house in Damansara and her family home in Melaka, but no one was (at either) address. We also tried to serve the notice to the bailor's address at the Airforce camp in Subang, but the house was vacant. But we have pasted the notice on the door."
Judge Tun Hamzah gave the prosecution a week's time to locate the accused and her bailor after both skipped the court hearing and fixed March 29 for the review of the sentencing. The bailor is reportedly working the Royal Military Air Force and his house is situated in the Subang base.
However, the judge Tun Hamzah asked the prosecution on the terms of Rozita's good behaviour bond, which was provided by the Sessions Court and if it allowed her to change the address.
While arguing Deputy public prosecutor (DPP) V. Sulochani told the court, "When the decision was pronounced, nothing was stated on the change of address... If she violates the bond within the five-year period, the order will be set aside. That's all that was said."
Iskandar said that he did not receive an explanatory notice from the lower court.
The prosecution had urged for a jail sentence in view of the immensity of the crime, but the Petaling Jaya sessions court judge, Mohammed Mokhzani Mokhtar, let Datin Rozita off with a good behaviour bond of five years.
The accused admitted that she abused her 19-year-old maid, Suyanti Sutrinso, in 2016 and caused grievous hurt by using a kitchen knife, a steel mop, a clothes hanger and an umbrella.
The incident took place between 7 am and 12 pm on December 21, 2016, at Datin Rozita's house, located in Mutiara Damansara. The victim survived with several injuries on her head, hands, legs and internal organs.
Earlier, Datin Rozita was charged under Section 307 of the Penal Code for an attempt to murder. Later, it was reduced to causing serious injuries by using dangerous weapons, under Section 326 of the Penal Code. Usually, a convict in an attempt to murder case has to face a maximum jail sentence of 20 years.
